


A Promise Made

by orangeCrates



Series: Hearts Exchanged [3]
Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Family Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-25
Updated: 2014-08-25
Packaged: 2018-02-14 16:16:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2198445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orangeCrates/pseuds/orangeCrates
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Altair asks Malik to marry him (and asks Tazim for permission to do it).</p><p>Set before the end of "Your Heart and Mine".</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Promise Made

**Author's Note:**

  * For [King of Novices (mykonos)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mykonos/gifts).



"I want to marry you."  
  
It began as a vague thought. Something that crossed Altair mind at random intervals, but every time it did, every time he turned the idea around in his head, the more attached he became to it until he spent far too much time trying to figure out the best way to ask.  
  
The most recent plan involved candles and roses.  
  
What it did not include was being dragged into the house, settled on the couch before Malik leaves briefly to get him a glass of water. He swats away Altair’s attempt to take the glass himself and merely moves the straw so he could drink from it. Altair does so obediently, too nauseous and light-headed to argue as Malik lectures him about working outside in this heat without a hat and without keeping properly hydrated.  
  
"You’re lucky you didn’t get heatstroke, you idiot." Malik sets the glass on the coffee table when Altair was finished with it. His words are off-set by the way he runs a hand over Altair’s face, fingertips brushing over his ears.  
  
The water doesn’t immediately make everything better, but it helps chase away some of the lethargy, enough for Altair to bring a hand up to cover Malik’s, thumb stroking the back of his hand.  
  
The words spilled from his mouth before he knew it, and if he weren’t so tired he might have worried about this less-than-perfect delivery and Malik’s answer. As it was, he didn’t quite feel up to that yet.  
  
Malik stares at him and his fingers curl a bit reflexively.  
  
As the water fixed the problem his working out in the yard caused, the anxiety crept in, and he’s half tempted to do something (he wasn’t sure what), when Malik seems to shake himself out of his stupor.  
  
"Just to make sure: this isn’t because of the heat exhaustion, right?"  
  
And Altair chuckles weakly, “I don’t think asking your boyfriend for their hand in marriage is a symptom of heat exhaustion.”  
  
Malik rolls his eyes, “Obviously, you don’t recognize the symptoms or you would have recognized them before I had to drag you back inside.” He says dryly, then falls quiet again as his thumb traces idle circles on Altair’s cheekbones. “I’m supposed to get a ring.”  
  
Altair grins, “Just to make sure,” he says, pushing himself up on one elbow so their faces were level and he could properly appreciate the faint blush on Malik’s cheeks (and the smile in his eyes), “that’s a ‘yes’, right?”  
  
"…idiot."  
  
~ + ~  
  
The ring wasn’t the only matter that needed to be taken care of, however, because Malik came with a son.  
  
Honestly, Altair had meant to ask Tazim first, but, obviously, things were not going according to the original plan. Malik had been kind enough to leave them after Tazim got home, retreating to the kitchen where Altair has no doubt he’s still listening in.  
  
He starts off with, “Tazim. I want to ask for your permission.”  
  
Tazim at seven is old enough to know the importance of asking permission (even if he doesn’t necessarily always remember) so he cocks his head curiously before nodding.  
  
Altair hesitates before crouching down so the two of them can see eye to eye.  
  
"You know your baba loves you, right?" Tazim nods and waits patiently for Altair to continue, "And that I also love you?"  
  
Another nod, then Tazim adds with a guileless smile, “I love you too.”  
  
It makes Altair relax to hear and he ruffles Tazim’s hair, making the child duck his head and beam, “I know. I also really love your baba.” He makes sure to look Tazim right in the eyes before he continues, “That’s why I’d like to marry him.” It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t understand all of it right now. The important part, Altair feels, is that he must have the choice. This is, after all, as much Tazim’s family as it was Malik’s. And the choice and the reason behind them have to be honest. That’s the important part.  
  
"Can I be a part of your family?"  
  
Tazim blinks and scrunches his face in confusion. Altair worries for half a beat. Then…  
  
"But you and baba are already married, aren’t you?"  
  
From the kitchen there’s a strange sound like someone had just snorted water up their nose, followed by coughing.  
  
Meanwhile it’s Altair’s turn to stare.  
  
"…why do you think that?"  
  
And Tazim sighs with the sort of exasperation he must have picked up from his father. The one usually reserved for when Malik thought Altair was being unusually thick-headed.  
  
"You live together. And you two are always…" He makes a face, " _kissing_.” He crosses his little arms and huffs with the sort of indignity that could only be cultivated after living a whole seven years in this world, “I’m not a baby who doesn’t know anything, you know.”  
  
From the direction of the kitchen, the sound of coughing has definitely transformed into muffled laughter.  
  
Altair ignores it in favour of trying to figure out how to respond.  
  
"We’re not…actually married, Tazim." Pause, "But I would like to be. To your baba."  
  
Tazim just continues looking puzzled.  
  
"But Amm Kadar always talks about how married you two are."  
  
"…does he now."  
  
"He also says its embarassing." He adds helpfully.  
  
Altair didn’t notice the laughter in the kitchen had stopped until Malik comes out and says, “Your Amm Kadar is confused.” Which is a whole lot more polite than what Altair had been thinking of saying.  
  
In the end, Tazim gave his blessings with all the solemnity a small child could manage (which is very solemn indeed). After all, it was only practical.  
  
"I mean, you’ve already _kissed_. It just makes sense you’d get married.”  
  
~ + ~  
  
Malik assumed that was it in terms of the engagement part of it and was surprised when Altair later came to him on one knee and a pair of simple gold rings with their names engraved on the inside.


End file.
